Recognizing Giftedness: Defining High Ability in Young Children

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who is gifted may act out in a way that is appropriate for his or her age, yet realizes the consequences of this type of behavior more than others of the same age. Because of the understanding that certain actions bring adverse consequences, the young child who is gifted may develop feelings of guilt that would not occur with an average child (Cohen, 1989; Silverman, 1998). Young children who are gifted are incredibly resourceful. Emotional intensity is a common personality characteristic of individuals who are gifted (Bouchard, 2004; Kitano, 1990; Tucker & Hafenstein, 1997). Children who are gifted have been described as "overexcitable, distractible, and even mistakenly thought to have an attention disorder” (Hartnett, Nelson, & Rinn, 2004; Tucker & Hafenstien, 1997; Winner 1996). The term overexcitability should not be confused with hyperactivity. It is natural for young children who are gifted to feel deeply and to experience a broad range of emotions. In fact, emotional intensity fuels the motivation for achievement. The Polish psychiatrist and psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski developed the theory that sensitivity and emotional intensity is a part of the psychosocial makeup of gifted individuals and viewed these intensities as positive potentials for further growth (Piechowski, 1992). According to Dabrowski, developmental potential includes • talents • special abilities • intelligence • five forms of psychic overexcitability: psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational, and emotional (Hafenstein & Tucker, 1995). In Hafenstein and Tucker’s (1995) case study of five young gifted children, ages 3 and 4, it was determined that all five subjects exhibited behaviors characteristic of Dabrowski’s theory of psychic overexcitability. For example, the relationship aspect of emotional overexitability allowed for development of values, empathy, and responsibility in the study’s subjects. Bouchard (2004) clarifies the term overexcitabilities (OE) not as abilities or intelligences, but as modes of experiencing the world. For example, a child with intellectual OE will do well on IQ tests, but these tests do not really measure the intensity of that child’s need to know. Social Development By age 3, children who are gifted are clearly social cognizers (Abroms & Gollin, 1980). Social cognition refers to the way children come to understand the thoughts, emotions, and viewpoints of others. Young children who are gifted in the area of social cognition may exhibit • generosity, • sharing of possessions, • sympathy for others, and • the desire to attend to other’s needs at an early age. Interactions with other children may also be a challenge for the intellectually able preschool child (Harrison, 2004; Rotigel, 2003). Young children who are gifted have an early awareness of their differences, and they may engage in social comparisons somewhat earlier than other children who are at the same chronological age but are considerably less advanced mentally (Abroms, 1981; Jesse Cukierkorn It is natural for young children who are gifted to feel deeply and to experience a broad range of emotions. In fact, emotional intensity fuels the motivation for achievement. Feldhusen, & Kolloff, 1979; Robinson, 1993). The potential for developing the characteristics of perfectionism may stem from children’s ability to judge themselves by the performance of peers in addition to their own expectations. It is also possible that this early recognition of differences may lead to regression in verbal and reading skills as young children who are gifted seek to mimic the behavior of their age peers (Gross, 1999). For the most part, however, advanced social development leads to healthy patterns of play and interaction (Morelock, Brown, & Morrissey, 2003; Wright, 1990). Young children who are gifted are incredibly resourceful, and they are apt to apply their excellent memory for people and the functions they can perform to their social interactions (Abroms, 1981). Jacobs (1971) found that gifted kindergarteners have a greater awareness of the emotional interplay between the individual and the environment and greater sensitivity to the emotional pressures of the environment. 6 Volume 36, Number 2 DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD Spring/Summer 2008
Play Style Play style is often a reflection of advanced social development in young children who are gifted. Through play, one can see a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997). When a preschooler who is gifted chooses to play alone, his or her pursuits tend to be quite complex and goal directed (Wright, 1990). In contrast to the stereotype of the gifted child who is bookish, introverted, and overly serious, young children who are gifted are often quite physically active in play and more socially advanced in play style (Morelock, Brown, & Morrissey, 2003; Wright, 1990). Compared to average preschoolers, girls and boys who are gifted tend to initiate play sessions with other children and to play more cooperatively (Barnett, & Fiscella, 1985; Lupkowski, 1989). Gifted young children are often more socially advanced in play style. During group play, the child who is gifted will often coordinate and integrate multiple complementary roles, taking into consideration the actions of other children. In this complex management of cooperative play, preschoolers who are gifted direct movement away from egocentric thought toward decentralized thought, which is a trait more typical of 6- and 7-year-olds (Wright, 1990). Young children who are gifted tend to modify conventional activities and objects, using numerous creative, unique, and imaginative ways to render them more social (Barnett & Fiscella, 1985; Wright, Subjects & Predicates During group play, the child who is gifted will often coordinate and integrate multiple complementary roles, taking into consideration the actions of other children. Young children who are gifted tend to modify conventional activities and objects, using numerous creative, unique, and imaginative ways to render them more social. 1990). Their use of unconventional objects in play activities and diverse play interactions suggest that their need for environmental stimulation may be greater. Perhaps when exposed to the same resource materials over a long period of time, preschoolers who are gifted become bored and seek new avenues for play. Barnett and Fiscella (1985) found that when the same objects were available in a preschool classroom to both gifted and nongifted children, the gifted children tended to use materials in novel ways and modify the play interactions with their peers. Because of their high verbal abilities, preschoolers who are gifted are able to convey their ideas more easily to their peers, to communicate their feelings, and to give directions (Perez, et al., 1982). While Wright (1990) also found that preschoolers who are gifted have a preference for associative play, in their cooperative play groups, gifted preschoolers most often orchestrated dramatic episodes, characterized by rich and complex themes. Given these budding leadership qualities, it is not surprising that young children who are gifted are often sought out by peers for companionship, ideas, and decisions (Kitano, 1982). The advanced cognitive development of young children who are gifted is also linked to a mature sense of humor for their age (Barnett & Fiscella, 1985; Eby & Smutny, 1991; Gross, 1993; Perez, 1980). Perez (1980) conducted an informal study of young gifted children’s response to humor. She found they were more likely to respond to riddles and verbal associations rather than the visual humor, which is usually found in books for young children. This more mature sense of humor may contribute to isolation Spring/Summer 2008 DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD Volume 36, Number 2 7
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Recognizing Giftedness: Defining High Ability in Young Children

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